International Day of the Older Person on Oct. 1

Members of Halifax’s Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi organization will be gathering at their centre on North Park Street in Halifax, to celebrate the UN’s International Day of the Older Person. (Contributed)

On Oct. 1, the United Nations will be marking the International Day of the Older Person. In Halifax, members of the Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi organization will be gathering at their centre on North Park Street in Halifax, to celebrate the day by engaging in a world-wide tai chi video-conference.

The hour-long live-streamed video will begin in British Columbia and move to Colorado, Alberta, Ontario, Florida, Nova Scotia, Great Britain, Netherlands, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

“We’ll be gathering at 2029 North Park St. at 10 a.m.,” says Betty Boudreau, chair of the Atlantic Region Seniors Committee of the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism. The video link will be at 11a.m. and then we’ll have lunch and more tai chi.”

She says there are many studies which show that engaging in the practice of tai chi, a series of rhythmic, meditative movements, has many health benefits for people of all ages, but especially seniors.

“Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chiarts contribute to the health of seniors and communities by providing healthy physical activity, opportunities to volunteer and a sense of belonging,” she says. “The decline in health usually associated with aging is not inevitable. Instead, practising the Taoist arts reverses this process of degeneration, enabling practitioners to age in a healthier way.”

“We are a volunteer-based, charitable organization that has been helping people improve their physical, mental and spiritual well-being for more than 47 years in 26 countries, with over 40,000 participants worldwide, including 12,000 in Canada and approximately 300 in the Halifax branch. We are dedicated to passing on the teachings of our founder, Master Moy Lin Shin, who asked us to help others to improve their health in the spirit of compassion.”

She says adds that the organization surveyed Canadian participants who practice Taoist Tai Chiarts in regards to their use of the public healthcare system, to provide a snapshot on how participants relieved the pressure on this system last year.

“Participants reported reductions in their use of public health services, including reduced need for surgery and also improvements in key areas such as balance and bone density. Taoist Tai Chi arts are gentle, can be done by anyone and particularly appeal to elderly people who might not otherwise be exercising,” says Boudreau.

The event on Oct. 1 is for Nova Scotian members of the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism, but anyone interested in learning about tai chi and its health benefits can contact the institute for information on open houses being held around the province to introduce Nova Scotians to tai chi.